New Stand-Up Special From Eddie Griffin Titled ‘EDDIE GRIFFIN: E-NIGGMA’ To Premiere December 6th On Showtime
Veteran entertainer Eddie Griffin is back for his third SHOWTIME comedy special, EDDIE GRIFFIN: E-NIGGMA, premiering on Friday, December 6 at 11 p.m. ET/PT. The hour-long special is filmed at the restored, historic landmark Sahara Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, home to many iconic performers including Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Peter Lawford and Lena Horne. Griffin’s unapologetic storytelling canvasses his 30-plus year comedy career and offers an intimate glimpse into the 10th year of his nightly Las Vegas residency, The Eddie Griffin Experience. Through his quick wit and a fiery rhetoric, Griffin flexes his perspective on a number of personal family situations and real-world issues while teaching sociopolitical and hypothetical history lessons along the way.
Griffin started his career on stage in Kansas City, Missouri as a dare when he was a teenager, made his way west to Los Angeles to the Comedy Store and continues to build his fan base worldwide. His career leapt from the stage to the screen with nearly 75 television and film credits to his name, from the classic Undercover Brother to John Q, A Star Is Born (2018) and most recently the remake of The Comeback Trail, starring opposite Morgan Freeman and Robert De Niro. Griffin’s previous SHOWTIME specials include FREEDOM OF SPEECH and UNDENIABLE.
EDDIE GRIFFIN: E-NIGGMA is directed by Brian Volk-Weiss (KEVIN SMITH: SILENT BUT DEADLY, The Toys That Made Us). Cisco Henson serves as executive producer for Comedy Dynamics along with Sylvia V. Hillman and Devin Green.
Lil Rel Howery Joins Huge Cast Ensemble For Ben Afflek’s New Thriller ‘Deep Water’
Filming is underway on Deep Water, the first movie from Indecent Proposal and Fatal Attraction director Adrian Lyne in almost two decades. Among cast joining Ben Affleck, Ana de Armas, Tracy Letts and Rachel Blanchard are Dash Mihok (Ray Donovan), Lil Rel Howery (Get Out), Jacob Elordi (Euphoria), Kristen Connolly (House Of Cards), and Jade Fernandez (Little).
This is Lyne’s first movie since 2002’s Unfaithful. New Regency fully financing. Zack Helm (Stranger Than Fiction) and Sam Levinson (Euphoria) have adapted from the Patricia Highsmith novel, and Garrett Basch and Steven Zaillian are producing with Entertainment 360’s Guymon Casady and Ben Forkner, and Anthony Katagas (12 Years A Slave). Arnon Milchan is also producing.
Pic is an erotic thriller, right in Lyne’s wheelhouse. Affleck and de Armas play Vic and Melinda Van Allen, an attractive young married couple whose mind games with each other take a twisted turn when people around them start turning up dead. The couple staves off divorce in a loveless marriage by allowing each to take lovers, but it becomes messy as Highsmith exposed the surface facade of American suburban life.
Mihok is repped by The Gersh Agency and Authentic Talent & Literary. Elordi is repped by Gersh, Fourward, Rogers & Cowan, and Nicky Gluyas Management in Australia. Howery is repped by Fourthwall Management, The Aziza Work Group and UTA. Connolly is repped by Paradigm and Authentic. Fernandez is repped by AWA and Zero Gravity.
Source: Deadline
Mo’Nique Sues Netflix For Discrimination Stand-Up Special Offer
Nearly two years after Mo’Nique called for a Netflix boycott on Twitter, the comedian is suing the streaming giant for racial and gender discrimination over the $500,000 offer she received to do a stand-up special.
In January 2018, Mo’Nique posted a video alleging gender and color bias because her offer was significantly lower than the millions paid to the likes of Amy Schumer, Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle. Wanda Sykes responded on Twitter, thanking her for speaking out and saying she walked away from a deal that was “less than half” of what Mo’Nique was offered.
Mo’Nique is suing the streaming giant for race and gender discrimination and unfair business practices, according to a complaint filed Thursday in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
Mo’Nique says Netflix is perpetuating the pay gap suffered by black women, and when she told the company its offer was discriminatory, it “refused to negotiate fairly.” She notes that when “a white female comedian [Schumer] objected to her offer (given how much lower it was than comparable males), Netflix reconsidered and upped her offer.”
In the suit, Mo’Nique lists examples of what other comedians, who aren’t black women, were reportedly paid by Netflix: Jerry Seinfeld ($100 million), Eddie Murphy ($70 million), Chappelle ($60 million), Rock ($40 million), Ellen DeGeneres ($20 million), Jeff Dunham ($16.5 million) and Ricky Gervais ($40 million).
A Netflix spokesperson on Thursday sent this statement to THR: “We care deeply about inclusion, equity, and diversity and take any accusations of discrimination very seriously. We believe our opening offer to Mo’Nique was fair — which is why we will be fighting this lawsuit.”
The complaint also includes headshots of seven top Netflix executives, all of whom are white, in support of her contention that the company’s lack of racial diversity contributes to a culture of discrimination.
“In short, as this lawsuit shows, Netflix’s treatment of Mo’Nique began with a discriminatory low-ball offer and ended with a blacklisting act of retaliation,” states the complaint, which is posted below. In 2015, Mo’Nique told The Hollywood Reporter that she was blackballed after her best-supporting actress Oscar win in 2010 for her role in Precious because she was “difficult” to work with.
Source; The Hollywood Reporter
Byron Allen Wins Two Big Federal Court Victories Against Comcast And Charter Communications
Byron Allen’s Entertainment Studios (ES) and the National Association of African-American Owned Media (NAAAOM) – plaintiffs in federal lawsuits filed against Comcast and Charter Communications – are pleased to announce two decisions issued today by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
The lawsuits were filed against two of the largest cable television carriers in the country—$20 billion against Comcast and $10 billion against Charter—for violating the Civil Rights Act of 1866, 42 U.S.C. § 1981, prohibiting racial discrimination in contracting. For years, Entertainment Studios has been requesting that Comcast and Charter carry its networks, which are distributed by Comcast and Charter’s competitors, including Verizon, DirecTV, AT&T, DISH, and many other carriers, to millions of people around the country.
Both Comcast and Charter, however, rebuffed all of Allen’s requests for network carriage. Accordingly, Allen filed lawsuits in federal district court in Los Angeles. The cases are entitled National Association of African American-Owned Media, et al. v. Comcast Corporation, Case No. 2:15-cv-01239-TJH-MAN (C.D. Cal.) and National Association of African American-Owned Media, et al. v. Charter Communications, Case No. 2:16-cv-00609-GW-FFM (C.D. Cal.).
In two historically significant decisions, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit rejected Comcast and Charter’s attempts to dismiss the cases before trial. The Court upheld Entertainment Studios’ Section 1981 claims against both Comcast and Charter; and instead ruled that both cases could proceed in the trial courts to discovery and trial.
“These two decisions against Comcast and Charter are very significant, unprecedented, and historic,” said Byron Allen, Founder/Chairman/CEO of Entertainment Studios. “The lack of true economic inclusion for African Americans will end with me, and these rulings show that I am unwavering in my commitment to achieving this long overdue goal.”
“The Court’s rulings overwhelmingly reflect the Ninth Circuit’s rejection of the Defendants’ positions and arguments,” said Mark DeVitre, President of plaintiff, NAAAOM. “I look forward to quickly moving into discovery where we expect much more evidence to surface.”
“These decisions are hugely important in terms of opening the courts to African American-owned media. The Court paved the way to our eventual success at trial by ensuring that the proper ‘mixed motive’ standard for our claims – a lower standard of proof than the ‘but for’ standard argued by Comcast and Charter – applies,” said Entertainment Studios’ attorney, Skip Miller, partner in Miller Barondess. “Additionally, the Court dismissed Charter’s and Comcast’s attempts to use the First Amendment as a shield for their alleged discrimination. I very much look forward to trying these cases. And I give Mr. Allen tremendous credit for having the will and the constitution to invest the capital and resources to pursue them relentlessly.”
Netflix Nabs Eddie Murphy For Another ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ Installment
Netflix has nabbed the rights to make a sequel to “Beverly Hills Cop,” a move that deepens the relationship between the streaming giant and Eddie Murphy.
Murphy’s new comedy “Dolemite is My Name” is currently showing on the platform, earning the actor some of the best reviews of his career. The film will see him reprise his role as Axel Foley, a street-smart Detroit cop who finds himself transplanted to the tony streets of Beverly Hills. The first two films in the series were huge hits, though 1994’s “Beverly Hills Cop III” was a commercial and critical disappointment. Paramount released all three previous films, but is licensing the rights to Netflix.
Bob Bakish, CEO of Paramount’s parent company Viacom, confirmed the move during a call with analysts on Thursday. The studio is still in the Eddie Murphy business. It will release “Coming 2 America,” a sequel to the 1988 hit “Coming to America,” in 2020. Paramount had tried for years to get a follow-up to “Beverly Hills Cop” off the ground, at one point even considering launching a television series.
Jerry Bruckheimer will produce the sequel for Paramount. The move comes when follow-ups and reboots to aging properties such as “Terminator,” “The Shining,” “Men in Black,” and “Shaft” have fallen flat at the theatrical box office.
The deal also enables Netflix to produce one more sequel. Paramount will retain rights to the underlying intellectual property and the first three movies.
Source: Variety
Jamie Foxx To Be Honored With Missy Elliott, Ryan Jamaal Swain, At Urban One Honors
Cathy Hughes, Urban One Founder and Chairwoman, announced the honorees, performers and presenters for the prestigious annual URBAN ONE HONORSevent on Thursday, December 5, 2019, at MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland. The two-hour telecast will air on TV One, a division of Urban One, on January 20, 2020, the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.
This year’s honorees include: veteran music executive Sylvia Rhone (Lifetime Achievement Award); Grammy Award-winning recording artist and producer Missy Elliott (Music Innovation Award); Academy Award-winning actor Jamie Foxx (Entertainment Icon Award); and actor/dancer and star of “Pose,” Ryan Jamaal Swain (Represent Pride Award).
Performers include: Grammy Award-winning recording artist and songwriter Ne-Yo; Grammy-nominated rapper Wale; Grammy Award-winning R&B superstar Brandy; R&B singer Eric Benét; gospel singer Pastor Charles Jenkins; new music artist Jac Ross; and television host Egypt Sherrod. Actor/singer and star of “Pose” Billy Porter, and the subject of Netflix’s documentary “The Black Godfather” Clarence Avant are among the show’s presenters.
“This will be an evening to remember,” stated Hughes. “We are extremely proud to present this showcase of talent in recognition of these exceptional men and women whose contributions “REPRESENT” our capacity to transform industries and effectuate change. I am overjoyed that we can celebrate the anniversary of Radio One with an event that honors what has been our mission of service to our community over these 40 years.”
URBAN ONE HONORS is presented by TV One and Radio One’s Washington D.C. market’s cluster of radio stations: Majic 102.3 and 92.7; WKYS 93.9, Praise 104.1, WOL 1450, Spirit 1340, and The Team 980 and 95.9. The televised event will herald the accomplishments of individuals who have made extraordinary contributions in entertainment, media, music, education, and the community. It will also pay tribute to the 40-year history of Radio One, the radio division of the company, and its extraordinary founder, Cathy Hughes.
Hughes continued, “We are blessed to have Billy Porter as part of our event. No matter how busy the Emmy, Grammy and Tony Award-winning performer is, he has made time to support Urban One and continues to be an advocate for black press.”
“It’s so amazing to be a part of an organization that is about the excellence of black people and to know that I’m an honoree at this year’s Urban One Honors in conjunction with celebrating the 40-year anniversary of Radio One,” stated Ryan Jamaal Swain. “It just shows we’re in a place where we are accepting innovation, diversity and inclusion – and not just buzz words. It’s so beautiful to have my pop-up Billy Porter presenting me with my award and it’s going to be an event that I feel will set the tone for the trajectory of entertainment, media, radio and also the world.”
“I’m very happy to be here to support Cathy Hughes, as a honoree of last year’s awards, it’s a good feeling to be recognized and appreciated” said Brandy, who is a featured performer at this year’s event.
URBAN ONE HONORS is produced for TV One by Eric Tomosunas and Keith Neal of Swirl Films. Kashon Powell, Vice President of Programming for Radio One, Susan Henry and Gold Morgan are the Executives in Charge of Production for TV One. For TV One’s Original Programming and Production, Robyn Greene Arrington serves as Vice President and Brigitte McCray serves as Senior Vice President.
Jay Pharoah Lands In New Dramatic Film Titled ‘All My Life’
Jay Pharoah has joined the cast of Universal’s drama “All My Life.”
Actors Marielle Scott and Kyle Allen will also appear in the film alongside the previously announced cast of Jessica Rothe and Harry Shum Jr.
Directed by Marc Meyers, “All My Life” is inspired by the true story of Jenn Carter and her husband, Solomon Chau, a young couple planning their wedding in the face of devastating news.
Todd Rosenberg wrote the script, which was featured on the Black List in 2017. Todd Garner and Sean Robins will produce for their Broken Road Productions banner. Universal’s senior vp of production Sara Scott and director of development Lexi Barta will oversee the project on behalf of the studio.
Best known for his work on “Saturday Night Live,” Pharoah was most recently seen in Steven Soderbergh’s “Unsane” and also had a recurring role on ABC’s “A Million Little Things.” Scott was recently seen in “Lady Bird” and the Netflix series “You.” Allen was recently cast in one of the lead roles in Steven Spielberg’s adaptation “West Side Story” and also appears in Hulu’s “The Path.”
Pharoah is represented by ICM, manager Shaina Farrow, and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller & Gellman L.L.P; Scott is represented by Gersh and Mosaic; Allen is represented by UTA, Management 360 and Hansen Jacobson.
Source: Variety
Kevin Hart’s ‘Cold As Balls’ Returns For A New Season
Kevin Hart is chilling out again in “Cold as Balls” season 3 — with his most eclectic guest list yet for the locker-room talk show in which he and his guests get immersed in an ice bath.
Featured guests in season 3 of the sports/comedy talk show include esports star Tyler “Ninja” Blevins, Dennis Rodman, WWE personalities the Bella Twins, Oklahoma City Thunder’s Chris Paul, San Antonio Spurs’ DeMar DeRozan, Fox Sports reporter Erin Andrews, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, Olympic athlete Lolo Jones, and former NBA stars Charles Oakley and J.R. Smith.
The new season, from Hart’s Laugh Out Loud digital comedy network, premieres Tuesday (Nov. 12) with the actor-comedian chatting up Thunder point guard Chris Paul, who reflects on his two seasons with the Houston Rockets and reveals details about the 2015 incident when he shared a banana boat with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade on vacation.
“I couldn’t be more excited to be back in the tub with what is sure to be our biggest and most ambitious season of ‘Cold as Balls,’” Hart said in a statement. “The outpouring of support we’ve received for the first two seasons has been amazing, and I can’t wait to see how fans react to what we have in store for them next.”
In conjunction with “Cold as Balls” season 3, in a few weeks Laugh Out Loud will launch a new line of merchandise tied to the show, including apparel like bathrobes, shower slippers, towels, backpacks and more. “It’s a way for fans to extend their relationship with the show,” said Thai Randolph, EVP and general manager of Laugh Out Loud Network.
Also Tuesday, Hart will rejoin his SiriusXM radio show “Straight From the Hart” for the first time since his car accident in early September. Launched in February 2018, the show ranks as one of the most popular comedy shows on SiriusXM.
The first two seasons of “Cold as Balls” have accumulated more than 320 million lifetime views. Guests in season 1, which ran in early 2018, included Gabby Douglas, Blake Griffin and LaVar Ball. Season 2 kicked off with two-time NBA champ Lamar Odom, with other guests including MMA superstar Ronda Rousey and NFL wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
Among Laugh Out Loud’s programming, “Cold as Balls” has been “definitely unrivaled in terms of the interest, demand and conversation it has spurred,” said Randolph. “Kevin’s just magic in the tub, and the athletes have been amazing.”
New episodes of “Cold as Balls” will premiere Tuesdays on the Laugh Out Loud YouTube channel and on the Laugh Out Loud app and website. The first six will roll out this fall, with the final four of the 10-episode season 3 available in early January. (All of the episodes were shot before Hart’s accident.)
For season 3, Procter & Gamble’s Old Spice returns as presenting sponsor, with the men’s grooming brand and its products featured on the set and Old Spice Guy Isaiah Mustafa matching wits with Hart in a locker room meet-up.
The series was created by OBB Pictures president and CEO Michael D. Ratner and Sean Thomas Spencer, with Ratner serving as executive producer alongside Hart, Laugh Out Loud president Jeff Clanagan, Dave Becky, and OBB’s Scott Ratner, Kfir Goldberg and Eric D. Cohen.
“We keep looking for ways to elevate the show season over season, and with Kevin at the helm we’ve managed to make the series continuously funnier, deeper, and more informative for our increasingly growing audience,” OBB’s Michael Ratner said in a statement.
Hart formed Laugh Out Loud in partnership with Lionsgate in 2016 and earlier this year he acquired a majority stake in the venture (with Lionsgate retaining a minority interest). Originally, LOL launched with a premium subscription option to watch ad-free but now all the content is available for free, ad-supported viewing.
Kevin Hart Makes 1st Official Appearance Since Car Crash
At the E! People’s Choice Awards, comedian Kevin Hart wins Comedy Act of 2019 and thanks God and the people for their support since his accident which occurred on Sept 1st. while being a passenger in his 1970 Plymouth Barracuda near Calabasas, CA.
Watch the moment now!
Netflix Announces Premiere Date for Tiffany Haddish’s ‘Black Mitzvah’ Comedy Special
We hear that Tiffany Haddish‘s new upcoming Netflix original comedy special, “Black Mitzvah,” will premiere on Dec. 3rd.
In the new special, Haddish embraces her Jewish heritage, reflects on newfound fame and the time she received a jumpsuit from Beyoncé.
